HIS PRINCESS | K.TH

Tears

AERI

This doesn't feel right.

Being this comfortable— surrounded by the fresh smell of the ocean and the wealth of my family's killer. I knew I was using him, but it just feels...

My fingers tighten around the white railing of the balcony, overlooking the lapping waves of Crystal Beach. The dress I'm wearing is the softest cotton, sewn with silk. I'd found several— along with clothes of every kind and of the highest quality— set in my room.

Rin is still fast asleep.

Today she'd wanted to visit the Underground. To give money to her mother— the money I'd asked from Taehyung. He had given it to me without a single question.

Without a single look of distrust. He'd just handed me thousands of dollars, just like that.

My fingers tighten even further.

I can't tell if he's just plain stupid or if he genuinely doesn't care about the fact he's spent more than hundreds of thousands of dollars on me the last couple days.

Either way.

Bastard.

I can't stay up here a second longer.

I turn back inside the house. Then I find Rin, still knocked out after last night. She'd enjoyed that festival to the fullest.

"Rin," I whisper. "Wake up. Let's get going."

She blinks open a drowsy eye, making a noise as she shifts the blankets over her head.

"Five more minutes."

I laugh.

"No. Hurry— I thought you were going to get this to your mom."

At the mention of her mother, Rin shoves her way out of the tangled bedsheets and climbs out of bed. Then she rubs her eyes, yawning widely as she pulls out the thick white envelope full of money from the drawer.

I'd already changed out from the dress to the clothes I feel more myself in— dark, faded jeans and a navy hood. I fit a cap over my eyes.

"Keep that safe," I tell her as she tucks the envelope deep in her pocket. "We can get into some shit if anyone sees."

She sniffs, catching another cap I toss in her direction. She runs rough fingers through her messy brown hair, before pushing the cap over her head.

"I know. You act like I haven't lived down there all my life, Aeri."

Rin gives me a sly look.

"Now how do we get down there without anyone noticing?"

________________________________

The air reeks of gasoline and smoke.

My eyes skim over the trash-ridden ground— the skies gray with pollution even when it's the middle of the day. No one else would ever choose to be down in a place like this.

But this feels more like home.

"I'll be over there." I tell Rin as I point towards a nearby alley, close to her mother's store. "Take your time."